THEMES & SPEAKERS

Synopsis:

This talk will illustrate how dietary choices affect the global carbon and water footprint based on the Eat-Lancet Commission modeling work. It will also identify and describe the dietary patterns that are healthier for people and the planet. It will conclude with implications of these findings for the development of equitable and sustainable dietary guidelines and corresponding policies.

Synopsis:

Heart disease is the number killer in the world. A holistic approach is to emphasize dietary patterns, reduce dietary cholesterol and saturated fats, and manage "bad" LDL cholesterol through functional foods. What a food chemist can do is to turn these guidelines into accessible and palatable products by（1）Formulating with Functional Bioactives: Integrating plant sterols/stanols (which compete with cholesterol for absorption) into daily foods like margarines, yogurts, and spreads to provide a 10% reduction in LDL-C; (2) Incorporating Viscous Soluble Fiber: Enhancing products with oat β-glucan or psyllium to form a gel in the gut, binding cholesterol-rich bile acids and forcing the liver to use blood cholesterol to produce bile acids; (3) "Stealth Health" and Ingredient Substitution: Replacing saturated fats (butter, lard) with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats (seed oils, olive oil) and replacing refined ingredients with high-fiber alternatives to reduce atherogenic potential; (4) Microencapsulation Technology: Using advanced coating techniques to mask the strong flavors or textures of beneficial ingredients, such as adding fish oil (omega-3) or garlic extract to bread without affecting taste; (5) Developing Natural Inhibitors: Identifying and utilizing food-derived compounds like red yeast rice (containing monacolin K) to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase (cholesterol synthesis) in the liver. The present paper is to summarize the literature and our own research about the research progress in the cholesterol-lowering functional foods with focus on phytosterols. The following applications of phytosterols in foods will be discussed including: (i) synthesis of phytosterol esters by esterification and transesterification with hydrophobic fatty acids to improve their oil solubility; (ii) synthesis of phytosterol derivatives by coupling with various hydrophilic moieties to enhance their water solubility; and (iii) mechanisms by which why phytosterols and cholesterol are differently absorbed in the small intestine.

Synopsis:

The structuring of edible oils into soft solid materials without the use of saturated or trans fats has emerged as an important strategy for the development of healthier lipid-based foods and nutraceutical delivery systems. Among the different approaches to oil structuring, oleogelation using polymers represents a particularly promising route due to its ability to generate stable, tunable networks capable of modulating both mechanical and digestive properties. This presentation will review the fundamentals of oleogelation and focus on our extensive work on ethylcellulose (EC) oleogels, the only direct polymeric oleogelator currently approved for food use worldwide.

The physical chemistry of EC oleogelation, including polymer–oil interactions, network formation, rheological behavior, and microstructure development, will be discussed together with strategies to tailor gel properties through plasticization using surfactants and fatty acids. Particular emphasis will be placed on the emerging concept of controlling lipid digestion and absorption through oil structuring. Human feeding studies demonstrated that EC oleogels can dramatically suppress post-prandial triglyceride excursions, suggesting the possibility of regulating lipid bioavailability through structural design, analogous to the glycemic index concept for carbohydrates. In addition, EC oleogels have shown strong potential as delivery systems for lipophilic bioactives such as β-carotene, significantly slowing release and micellar incorporation under in vitro digestion conditions, particularly at high bioactive loadings.

Recent work has also demonstrated the potential of EC oleogels as structured inks for three-dimensional food printing and advanced food manufacturing. Depending on oil polarity and co-surfactant composition, these systems can exhibit highly tunable thixotropic and shear-recovery behavior, enabling controlled deposition, shape retention, and textural customization in printed lipid-based foods. Collectively, these findings position polymeric oleogels as a versatile platform for designing next-generation functional lipid systems with improved nutritional, structural, and delivery characteristics.

Synopsis:

Undoubtedly, the world is experiencing some of the most turbulent times in history resulting from the increasing confluence of such events as the pandemic, extreme weather episodes, loss of biodiversity population growth, rapid urbanization, issues related to animal welfare; increasing levels of chronic diseases as well as the polarization of malnutrition and over-nutrition; and geopolitical strife. In particular, major vulnerabilities to entire food supply chains have been exposed with attendant food security/sovereignty issues. These issues present challenges, but also serve as opportunities for innovative research opportunities from production through to the consumer. The pandemic brought about a greater awareness of such issues as: rediscovery of cooking/culinology; the importance of food ingredients and their accessibility; and importantly the general lack of knowledge regarding food and nutrition literacy. Extreme weather episodes and some of the affiliated consequences, e.g., drought, floods, wild fires, thought to be abnormal events are now becoming the norm. The loss of biodiversity in both plant and animal sources has created the possibility of vulnerabilities to pest/diseases thus affecting the reliability of the food supply. With the global urbanization of the traditional agricultural lands resulting from population growth, the question arises – where will we produce our food? The global increase in chronic diseases, while at the same time parts of the world facing malnutrition and others facing over nutrition, has again highlighted the importance of food/nutrition literacy as well as food security/sovereignty. The continuing increase in geopolitical strife from wars to trade barriers has definitely highlighted the importance of food security/sovereignty and the need to develop creative means to supply food in an accessible manner while addressing issues of food waste and authenticity. With all the above, what will the future of food science and technology look like? Some of these solutions/technologies have already begun to be adopted such as vertical farms/aquaculture; climate resistant plant and animal species; ready to eat foods; food delivery; precision fermentation of food ingredients, cultured products, designer foods; extended shelf-life food, etc. Many of the latter have been/are influenced and benefited by the use of artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) but will AI/ML determine the future of food science and technology research and products/technology – maybe? This talk will attempt to give some insight into “The future of food science and technology in an ever-changing world”.

Synopsis:

Beneficial microbes are increasingly being recognised not only as tools for improving food safety, but also as enablers of food innovation. This plenary will examine how food microbiology is evolving beyond the traditional control of pathogens and spoilage organisms to support the development of foods with improved shelf life, texture, flavour, and functionality. Using examples from microbial biocontrol, fermentation, and plant based food development, the talk will highlight how selected microbes can enhance food safety while also addressing major challenges facing modern food systems. Particular focus will be placed on the dual role of beneficial microbes in improving product safety and quality, especially in plant based foods where sensory and technical limitations remain significant. Together, these examples demonstrate how beneficial microbes can help deliver safer, more appealing, and more innovative foods for the future.

Synopsis:

The growing demand for sustainable and nutritious foods requires new approaches to better understand and utilize food proteins and peptides. Traditional experimental methods for evaluating protein functionality and bioactivity are often labor-intensive, time-consuming, and limited in scalability. Recent advances in computational structural biology, AI, and molecular simulation are transforming this field by enabling more predictive and mechanism-driven food protein research. This presentation will highlight emerging applications of machine learning, protein language models, generative AI, molecular dynamics simulation, and multiscale modeling in food protein science. Topics will include prediction of protein structure–function relationships and functional behaviors, discovery and design of bioactive peptides, and molecular-level insights into protein–ligand interactions and physicochemical mechanisms governing food functionality. Together, these integrated computational approaches are accelerating the rational design and development of next-generation food proteins and peptides with enhanced functionality, nutritional value, and sustainability.

Synopsis:

Caloric restriction (CR) is the most robust dietary strategy for extending lifespan and delaying age-related disease across multiple species. In humans, CR improves health span by reshaping body composition, improving insulin sensitivity, dialling down inflammation, and meaningfully improves cardiometabolic risk, though sustained long-term CR remains a real challenge. Interestingly, when mice are put on CR, they don't just eat less, they eat all available food at once. Which means they must fast for extended stretches each day. That fasting behaviour turns out to matter. Fasting amplified the longevity benefit of CR in this species. Which raises an obvious question: is the same true in humans? Time-restricted eating (TRE), which confines intake to a consistent daily window, produces modest but sustained improvements in body weight, blood pressure, and blood lipids. But does it produce enough of an impact? This talk will present our latest research examining TRE alone, in combination with other dietary approaches and finally whether TRE extends the health benefits of caloric restriction in humans.

Synopsis:

Vitamin D exerts diverse immunomodulatory effects that vary according to the immune cell types and physiological context, acting to either enhance or suppress immune responses. Conversely, both vitamin D metabolism and immune functions are influenced by disease status. Given the critical role of immune and inflammatory responses in the development and pathology of metabolic diseases, including obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), nutritional status of vitamin D may substantially affect disease progression and outcomes.

Evidence from human studies consistently demonstrates an inverse association between vitamin D status and obesity, while animal studies have revealed dysregulated vitamin D metabolism in diet-induced obesity. Vitamin D has been sown to modulate adipose tissue biology, influencing processes ranging from adipocyte differentiation and adipocyte apoptosis to energy metabolism.

In animal models of diabetes, diabetic mice exhibited significantly lower natural killer cell activity. Vitamin D supplementation in diabetic mice resulted in increased NK cell activity, and a higher percentage of mature NK cells was associated with improved NK activity. Vitamin D supplementation also attenuated inflammatory responses in adipose tissue, as evidenced by reduced Il6, Ccl2, and Ager expression. In humans, the effects of vitamin D supplementation on type 2 diabetes prevention remain inconclusive, whereas more consistent evidence supports a protective role against type 1 diabetes.

Vitamin D may also influence cardiovascular physiology and pathology through its effects on endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, and cardiac cells. Although low vitamin D status has been associated with an increased risk of CVD, randomized intervention studies have not consistently demonstrated cardiovascular benefits of supplementation. Current evidence suggests that vitamin D supplementation may be most beneficial for correcting deficiency rather than achieving supraphysiological serum concentrations.

Collectively, these findings highlight the complex interactions between vitamin D, immune regulation, and metabolic disease and underscore the importance of maintaining adequate vitamin D status for metabolic health. This presentation will discuss the immunomodulatory roles of vitamin D and their implications for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, with a focus on evidence from both experimental and clinical studies.

Synopsis:

Listeria monocytogenes remains a major foodborne pathogen of concern in a society increasingly drawn to fresh and minimally processed foods. Using surveys, modelling and challenge testing, we examine its spread and growth potential. But Listeria has friends, and with every shift in the food system — whether aquaponics, last‑mile delivery, plant‑based diets, or precision fermentation — the cycle restarts: hazard identification, pathogen characterisation, risk assessment, and the search for effective food safety interventions and management strategies.

At the same time, growing recognition of microbiota dynamics in foods has sparked interest in exploiting microbial interactions and moving toward biological control of pathogens. Yet, reconciling food safety objectives with microbial diversity is far from straightforward. This is evident in the debate on the use of biopesticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in primary vegetable production, or in the evaluation of biosolutions such as protective cultures in sustainable food systems.

Moreover, ensuring food safety requires adequate food literacy. Moving beyond traditional risk communication towards accessible, actionable food safety information about Listeria and its “friends” is essential. The better we — and all stakeholders along the farm‑to‑fork chain — understand microbial risks, the more prepared we are to manage emerging hazards and incidents. Food safety, after all, is a never‑ending story.

Synopsis:

Foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging global threat to food safety and sustainable food production. Resistant bacteria and mobile resistance genes can move silently through food animals, processing environments, retail foods, humans, companion animals, and wildlife, challenging conventional surveillance systems that often detect AMR without explaining how it spreads. In a rapidly changing food landscape shaped by an increasingly complex supply chains, there is a growing need for high-resolution tools that can connect microbiological risk with actionable food science and One Health interventions.

This talk presents “a food veterinarian perspective” on foodborne AMR using recent evidence from the United Arab Emirates. The story begins with the detection of mobilizable colistin resistance gene (mcr-1.1) in multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli recovered from healthy dog and cat, a case that raised important questions about companion animals as sentinels of food-linked AMR circulation. This signal is then traced into supermarket chicken meat, where whole-genome sequencing revealed closely related mcr-1.1-positive colistin-resistant E. coli in retail broiler carcasses, sharing persistent clonal lineages and mobile plasmids. Thus, hypnotizing the potential dissemination of resistance across the food-humans/pets interface. Such interface was further explored through genome-based analysis of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in retail red meat, where clinically (human) relevant lineages, virulence determinants, and multidrug resistance profiles highlight the contribution of handling, contamination, and food-chain interfaces to AMR movement. The story then extends beyond the conventional farm-to-fork model to wildlife conservation, through the detection of mcr-1.1-positive multidrug-resistant Salmonella Kentucky in captive Asian houbara bustard, genomically linked to poultry-associated isolates. Together, these cases show why the UAE is a strategic hub for foodborne AMR research: a global food-trade crossroads where humans, animals, food systems, and ecosystems intersect. They also demonstrate the added value of whole-genome sequencing for modern food science, enabling source tracking, plasmid characterization, transmission mapping, risk assessment, and evidence-based One Health strategies to protect food safety and human health.

Synopsis:

Achieving sustainable food systems requires not only alternative ingredients, but also the ability to engineer structure and functionality that meet performance and consumer expectations. Plant‑based materials offer significant potential, however, translating them into high‑functioning food products remains a key scientific and technological challenge.¹

This keynote presents a multiscale engineering framework linking molecular interactions to macroscopic functionality in future foods. Advances in protein and colloid engineering enable control of interfacial behaviour to stabilise emulsions,² enhance encapsulation of sensitive compounds,³ and improve physicochemical stability through tailored protein–phenolic interactions.⁴ These approaches support robust and efficient food formulations during processing and storage.

At the product level, structured emulsion gels integrated within dual‑network matrices provide programmable thermal and mechanical properties.⁵ Such systems can reproduce the melting, texture, and stability of conventional foods, enabling the development of high‑performance plant‑based analogues.6-7

By integrating materials design, advanced characterisation, and scalable processing strategies, this work demonstrates how engineered food structures can accelerate innovation in sustainable food systems. This approach provides a pathway to develop functional, resource‑efficient, and scalable food solutions to support future global demand.

References
1. Kim W., Yiu, C. C.-Y., Wang, Y., Zhou, W., Selomulya, C. (2024). Toward Diverse Plant Proteins for Food Innovation. Advanced Science, 11, 2408150.
2. Kim. W., Wang, Y. Selomulya, C. (2025). Exploring the relationship between physicochemical stability and interfacial properties in pea/whey protein blend-stabilised emulsions. Food Hydrocolloids, 169, 111622.
3. Kim, W., Wang, Y., Vongsvivut, J., Ye, Q., Selomulya, C. (2023). On surface composition and stability of β-carotene microcapsules comprising pea/whey protein complexes by synchrotron-FTIR microspectroscopy. Food Chemistry, 426, 136565.
4. Kim, W., Zia, M., Naik, R., Ho, K., Selomulya, C. (2025). Effects of polyphenols from Tasmannia lanceolata on structural, emulsifying, and antioxidant properties of pea protein. Food Chemistry, 464(1), 141589.
5. Yiu, C. C.-Y., Wang, Y., & Selomulya, C. (2025). Double network as a design paradigm for structuring emulsion gels in food. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 24(3), e70201.
6. Wang, Y., Yiu, C. C.-Y., Kim, W., Vongsvivut, J., Zhou, W., & Selomulya, C. (2026). Emulsion gels of oil encapsulated in double polysaccharide networks as animal fat analogues. Food Hydrocolloids, 171, 111807.
7. Yiu, C. C.-Y., Kim, W., Gunawan, I. C., Vongsvivut, J., Wang, Y., & Selomulya, C. (2026). A dual polysaccharide and plant protein system for cheese analog with enhanced meltability and texture. Food Hydrocolloids, 171, 111850.

Synopsis:

Cell culture media remain a major contributor to the environmental impacts and production costs of cultivated meat. Circular production strategies offer an opportunity to improve system sustainability through the recovery and reuse of nutrients from spent culture media. This talk highlights recent modeling studies evaluating the potential of microalgae-enabled nutrient recycling to improve the sustainability and economics of cultivated meat production. Life-cycle assessment results indicate that iterative medium recycling can reduce environmental impacts by 42–80%, primarily through reductions in growth factor demand, while also revealing tradeoffs associated with increased recycling intensity and microalgae cultivation requirements. Growth factor production, energy use, and nutrient recovery efficiency emerge as key drivers of system performance and priorities for future innovation. Complementary techno-economic analysis provides context on the economic implications of circular production strategies. Collectively, these findings illustrate the potential of circular bioeconomy principles to reduce both the environmental footprint and resource demands of cultivated meat production while highlighting key priorities for future research and technology development.

Synopsis:

Barrier materials are ubiquitous in consumer materials. They are used to prevent oxygen permeation in food packaging, water barrier for protective coatings and fuel barrier for flame retardancy. However, many of the materials utilized to perform these functions are not sustainable. Fortunately, nature has already solved many of these problems. Here a discussion of some selected research into utilizing cellulose as barrier layers in food packaging will be presented, specifically cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and microfibrilled cellulose (MFC). These cellulosic materials have gained a lot of notice recently owing to their impressive mechanical and thermal properties, environmental benefit, low toxicity and possible low cost. Processing, characterization and resultant package level testing will be presented. The results show that the packages are equal to or better than many commercial packaging plastics in a variety of properties. Scaleup efforts may be discussed.

Synopsis:

Mycotoxins are toxic fungal metabolites commonly found in food. Acute exposure causes hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic poisoning, whilst low dose chronic exposure is associated with immunosuppressant, carcinogenic and teratogenic effects. Indeed, the ‘First Total Diet Study of Aflatoxins in Singapore’ suggested that consumption of aflatoxin contaminated foods like satay-sauce is associated with additional liver cancer cases in Singapore.

Mycotoxins can emerge during crop growth, food storage or during processing but cannot easily be removed due to metabolite stability. Thus, risk reduction relies on reliable mycotoxin detection and on regulatory frameworks that prevent the sale of contaminated food. However, current regulations only monitor a small proportion of mycotoxins, and many mycotoxins are not quantified by commercial methods. Furthermore, even regulated mycotoxins are often “modified” with sulphate or sugar derivatisations rendering them invisible to accredited quantification methods. However, such masking does not abate risk, since gut bacteria may cleave these attachments, releasing the parent toxin.

In this talk we discuss how to assess the risks of modified and emerging mycotoxins and explore how better quantification can improve safety. In particular, we focus on how new methods are essential in a world where changing climate, shifting diet and novel foods bring novel risks. We also discuss how biomonitoring can be utilised to better assess mycotoxin consumption and how diet, gut enterotype and hepatitis B prevalence may modify mycotoxin risks.

Synopsis:

Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) using visible light is a promising non-thermal technology for improving microbiological food safety and extending the shelf life of fresh produce[1]. PDI is based on the excitation of endogenous or exogenous photosensitizers by specific wavelengths, resulting in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and subsequent oxidative damage to microbial cells[2]. Among visible-light technologies, 405 nm light-emitting diode (LED) illumination has attracted considerable attention because of its antimicrobial efficacy, residue-free nature, and applicability to food systems. Previous studies have demonstrated that 405 nm LED-mediated PDI can effectively inactivate major foodborne pathogens, and mechanistic investigations have revealed oxidative damage to multiple cellular targets as a major basis for its antibacterial action. More recently, interest has expanded from bacterial control to the management of spoilage molds in fruits and vegetables. Postharvest fungal spoilage is a major cause of quality loss and economic damage, while conventional fungicide-based interventions face increasing limitations due to residue concerns and consumer demand for safer alternatives. In this context, 405 nm LED illumination has shown potential as an antifungal strategy by suppressing spore germination, reducing viable fungal populations, and delaying visible mold development on fresh produce. In particular, recent work has demonstrated that 405 nm LED treatment can effectively control Rhizopus stolonifer on tomatoes[3]. In addition, combining 405 nm LED with natural photosensitizers such as riboflavin offers a practical approach to further enhance antifungal efficacy. This keynote presentation will summarize recent advances in 405 nm LED-based PDI, from its broader significance in food safety to its emerging application in controlling fruit and vegetable spoilage molds. Particular emphasis will be placed on antifungal efficacy, possible inactivation mechanisms, and the feasibility of applying this technology as a sustainable postharvest preservation strategy.

References
[1] V. S. Ghate, W. Zhou, H. G. Yuk, "Perspectives and Trends in the Application of Photodynamic Inactivation for Microbiological Food Safety" Compr. Rev. Food Sci. Food Saf. Vol. 18, pp. 402-424, 2019.
[2] M. J. Kim, H. G. Yuk, "Antibacterial Mechanism of 405-nanometer Light-emitting Diode against Salmonella at Refrigeration Temperature” Appl. Environ. Microbiol. Vol. 83, pp. e02582-16, 2017.
[3] W. J. Ki, W. S. Choi, W. Zhou, H. G. Yuk, “Antifungal Effect of Riboflavin Combined with 405 nm Light-emitting Diode Illumination on Rhizopus stolonifer and Application for Tomato Preservation” Postharvest Biol. Technol. Vol. 231, pp. 113886, 2026.

Synopsis:

Climate change is widely acknowledged as a major factor driving the emergence and spread of foodborne pathogens across the food supply chain. Far less attention, however, has been given to how shifts in temperature, rainfall patterns, atmospheric CO₂, and UV exposure influence food quality and chemical contamination. In the first part of this presentation, we will review the current state of knowledge on how climate change affects food quality, sensory properties, and subsequent food processing, using Canada as an illustrative example. We will also examine how climate change can influence food contamination, both directly and indirectly. In the second part, the coupling of high‑resolution mass spectrometry with advanced data‑processing tools will be (re)introduced as a powerful approach for the rapid characterization of thousands of chemicals in food matrices. This strategy enables the generation of large chemical fingerprints for each food sample, offering new perspectives for assessing food quality, food safety, and food authenticity, particularly in the context of climate change. These fingerprints can be explored to identify new toxins, emerging contaminants, or subtle shifts in composition and flavor profiles. Specific applications of suspect and non‑targeted analysis in agri‑food systems will be presented. Large‑scale application of HRMS to monitor food matrices can provide essential information to (i) document the impacts of climate change on food supplies and (ii) implement early‑warning systems to detect emerging threats.

Synopsis:

Ciguatoxins (CTXs) are a group of marine biotoxins, encompassing over thirty different analogues that can contaminate marine food webs. Consuming seafood containing CTXs can result in ciguatera poisoning (CP), the most common non-bacterial, seafood-related illness worldwide. The most defining symptoms are the reversal of temperature sensation (‘hot-cold reversal’) or cold dysesthesia.

Two commonly applied methods for CTX analysis are a cell based in vitro cytotoxicity assay (neuro2a-assay) and LC-MS/MS. Analyzing CTXs is challenging as they occur in complex tissue in trace amounts (<1 μg/kg). Currently, no standard operating protocols exist for sample preparation or analysis. Certified reference materials or certified standards are not available, hampering quantification of CTXs as shown within a recent LC-MS/MS method comparison study.

Both analytical methods were used in our institute to investigate samples related to CP outbreaks. Since 2012, there have been repeated CP outbreaks in Germany, the latest occurred in October 2025. Outbreaks were caused primarily by imported snapper fish (Lutjanidae), in several cases product mislabeling was found (i.e., different species). Beyond importation into the European Union, CTX producers have expanded into new regions, including EU territories. Species of (potentially) CTX producing genera are now found in the Mediterranean Sea. Due to autochthonous CP outbreaks, the Canary Islands have established a comprehensive CTX monitoring program to manage the risk of CP.

Synopsis:

The demand for personalized, functional foods has driven intense interest in 3D food printing, yet conventional starch-based inks are constrained by slow gelation kinetics, poor shape fidelity, and the need for chemical modification. This presentation introduces a sustainable strategy that valorizes underutilized agricultural byproducts—Millettia speciosa seeds and rhizomes [1], ginger rhizome residues [2], and rambutan seeds [3]—as sources of novel starches with intrinsically tailored gelation behaviors for high-precision printing. Through systematic multi-scale structural analyses, we demonstrate that rapid-gelating starches from ginger (Curcuma phaeocaulis and C. longa) and rambutan seed (BR-7 variety) achieve gelation within 1–10 minutes at low concentrations (6–15% w/v), which is up to 11 times faster than conventional pea or potato starches. The mechanism is driven by high amylose content synergizing with abundant short amylopectin chains to form dense, hydrogen-bonded networks, while appropriate closed-pore structures mitigate syneresis and dehydration. These structural features confer excellent shear-thinning rheology and >95% printing accuracy, with printed constructs meeting IDDSI Level 5 (minced & moist) standards for dysphagia diets. Moreover, the starches exhibit highly desirable digestive profiles: C. longa starch contains 44.6% resistant starch, while rambutan seed starches provide 70–73% slowly digestible starch, supporting prolonged glycemic control and gut health. In parallel, M. speciosa starches display superior thermostability and printability at low concentrations, expanding the library of functional 3D-printable materials. This work pioneers a “waste-to-3D-ink” paradigm, demonstrating that by deciphering structure–property relationships at the chain-length, lamellar, and granular levels, we can design precision food architectures without relying on external additives. The findings open new avenues for sustainable, health-focused food manufacturing, offering customizable nutrition for the elderly, dysphagia patients, and personalized diet applications.

References
[1] Y. Yan, Z. Huang, Z. Zhu, F. Xie, T. Yang, L. Zeng, Z. Jiang, J. Du, Y. Chen, D. Niu, “Natural starches suitable for 3D printing: Rhizome and seed starch from Millettia speciosa champ, a non-conventional source”, Carbohydr. Polym., Vol. 351, Article 123104, 2025.
[2] R. He, S. Li, J. Wang, Z. Zhu, W. Luo, K. Pan, F. Xie, Y. Chen, T. Yang, “Rapid-gelating starch from potential ginger processing waste: Multi-scale structural analysis enabling high-precision 3D printing for health-focused food applications”, Food Hydrocolloids, Vol. 172, Issue 3, Article 112130, 2026.
[3] R. He, Y. Li, X. Lin, B. Xu, X. Huo, W. Zhang, T. Yang, G. Zhong, F. Xie, Y. Chen, “Structural determinants of gelation kinetics in rambutan seed starches: Implications for enhanced precision in 3D food printing”, Carbohydr. Polym., Vol. 380, Article 125024, 2026.